2007-08 Grand Prix Final of Figure Skating - Highlights - Free Dance and Men's, Ladies, & Pairs Free Skate

2007-08 ISU
Grand Prix Final

Dec 14-15, 2007
Torino, Italy

DAY 1
FULL RESULTS

FINAL STANDINGS

ICE DANCE:

1. Domnina/Shabalin RUS
2. Belbin/Agosto USA
3. Delobel/Schoenfelder FRA

MEN:

1. Lambiel SUI
2. Takahashi JPN
3. Lysacek USA

PAIRS:

1. Savchenko/Szolkowy GER
2. Zhang/Zhang CHN
3. Pang/Tong CHN

LADIES:

1. Kim KOR
2. Asada JPN
3. Kostner ITA

The 2007-08 Grand Prix Final of Figure Skating concluded with the Free Dance and the Men's, Ladies, and Pairs Free Skate.

Ice Dance (Free Dance)

Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin of Russia rose from third to first place overall to capture the gold, while USA's Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto and France's Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder slipped to second and third place overall, respectively.

Domnina and Shabalin earned a new personal best of 103.26 (53.50/49.76) points for their commanding performance to Waltz from Masquerade in which all elements were awarded a level four.

"I am very happy that we were able to really do our best technically and emotionally," said Domnina. "So we felt really pleased and happy, because if you feel that you did your best it gives you an inner satisfaction. The result is still important, but it is also very important to feel that happiness inside."

The Russian champions moved smoothly throughout the entire routine which featured matching twizzles, difficult lifts, and an excellent circular step sequence which received a +1.80 GOE. They placed first in the Free Dance (FD), and with a total score of 165.57 points, rose to first overall.

"Yesterday we weren't as pleased with what we did because we felt ourselves that it wasn't the best we can do," Domnina said. "Today wasn't the most important victory of our career. Hopefully that one is still to come, but it was the first competition where all the top couples met and we wanted to position ourselves well."

The team also revealed that Shabalin is currently suffering from an inflammation in his left knee that began to bother him during their last practice at home before coming to Italy.

Belbin and Agosto also didn't disappoint with their routine to selections from Chopin, however, their serpentine lift was only awarded a level three instead of the level four they received at Skate America and Cup of China.

Nevertheless, the U.S. champions produced five level four lifts, excellent twizzles, and a good level four circular step sequence which garnered a +1.40 GOE. The team placed second in the FD with 100.50 (51.50/49.00) points and overall with a total score of 165.57 points.

"We didn't make any mistakes," said Belbin. "We have to ask around what they didn't like about serpentine lift as we got a level three. So many little things to think about and we have to go home and work hard."

Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder placed third in the FD with a new seasonal best of 100.11 (51.40/48.71) points for their routine to music from The Piano soundtrack.

The European champions received a level four on all elements except for a level three circular step sequence. The team impressed with five difficult lifts and a good twizzle sequence. Their step sequences also received a combined total of +2.80 GOE.

With a total score of 163.40 points, however, the French champions slipped from second to third place overall.

"We are disappointed," said Schoenfelder. "We expected to skate better today. Maybe we didn't have enough energy, but I still think that this program will be very good. Hopefully at the European and World Championships."

"We didn't do the best we can do," added Delobel, "but we are satisfied, because we focused on the new steps and got high levels."

Canada's Tessa Virtue (18) and Scott Moir (20) placed fourth in the FD (98.26 points) and overall (159.40 points). The Skate Canada champions earned a level four for all their elements which featured an excellent diagonal and circular step sequence, as well as an innovative rotational lift.

The Canadian silver medalists earned the second highest technical element score (52.30 points), but lacked in the program component score (45.96 points) compared to that of the top three teams.

Jana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski of Russia placed fifth in the FD (95.28 points) and overall (153.58 points). The team, which produced interesting choreography and unique lifts, were awarded a level four for all elements except for a level three midline (non-touching) step sequence which earned a 1.20 GOE.

France's Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat maintained sixth place overall (140.82 points) after placing sixth in the FD (83.09 points). Bourzat fell during the diagonal step sequence, however, the team displayed good level four twizzles a a good level four curve-rotational combination lift.

Men (Long Program)

Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland narrowly won the Men's event after narrowly edging out Daisuke Takahashi of Japan. USA's Evan Lysacek maintained third overall to earn the bronze.

Lambiel had a rough start in his Flamenco routine when he stepped out of a triple Axel and then put his hand down on a quadruple toeloop, but recovered to land six more strong triple jumps. The 2006 Olympic silver medalist also impressed with excellent spins and footwork, and placed first in the long with 155.30 (76.20/79.10) points.

"My program is very strategic," Lambiel later explained. "It is very complicated and difficult with the triple Axel and the quad. I think what made the difference today was the spirit of the Flamenco program that I had."

With a total score of 239.10 points, the Swiss champion overcame Takahashi by just 0.16 points to win the gold.

"This comes as a big surprise to me, said the 22-year-old. "The competition was wide open, and it's a competition with the level of a World Championship. I won the silver medal here at the Olympic Winter Games and now I win the Final here."

Takahashi gave a nearly flawless performance to Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet which featured a quadruple toeloop and six triple jumps, however he tripled his first intended quadruple toeloop and later doubled a Salchow. The current World silver medalist also produced excellent footwork, but he only received one level four which went to his final combination change spin.

"It wasn't so good for me," said the 21-year-old. I missed my first quad and popped the Salchow. Just before I went out, I heard the big applause for Stephane and I thought that he had done well. But I focused on my own skating. When I made the mistake on the (first) quad, I thought that maybe I'm not going to win today."

The Japanese champion earned 154.74 (77.34/77.40) points for a second place finish in the long and overall (238.94 points) to earn his second consecutive Grand Prix Final silver.

"I came here to win this event," said Takahashi, "so I'm really sad that I wasn't able to achieve my goal. This is something to work on for the next big competition."

Lysacek had a strong opening with a quadruple toeloop-triple toeloop combination, but then the U.S. champion underrotated a triple Axel and later fell on a triple Salchow. He otherwise landed a total of seven triple jumps and received a level four on two spins as well as an expressive straightline footwork sequence.

The reigning Four Continents champion earned 150.08 (75.08/76.00) points for a third place finish in the long and overall (229.78 points).

"I didn't feel so over my feet today," confessed Lysacek. "I worked hard on the ice. I was a little tense, but I was excited about the quad. I've only done four (quad combinations) in competition, so this was a big step. It's the first time for me to get a level four for the footwork."

Teammate Weir maintained fourth overall (216.16 points) after placing fourth in the long with 141.36 (69.16/73.20) points. The U.S. bronze medalist landed six triple jumps in all, but fell on a triple flip and doubled a loop. Despite the mistakes, the 23-year-old otherwise earned a level four for two spins and positive GOEs for both his level three circular and straightline footwork sequences.

Patrick Chan of Canada rose from sixth place after the short to fifth overall (208.13 points), after placing fifth in the long with 139.27 (72.37/66.90) points.

The current World Junior silver medalist earned a level four on all four of his spins and produced good footwork, but stepped out the landing and put his hand down on a double Axel. He also had a bad lean on his opening triple Axel, but otherwise produced seven more clean triple jumps.

Belgium's Kevin Van der Perren finished in sixth overall with (189.52 points) after placing sixth in the long with 116.69 (55.69/62.00) points. The 25-year-old fell on his opening quadruple toeloop, doubled a triple Axel, underrotated and two-footed the landing of a triple Lutz, and doubled a loop.

Pairs (Long Program)

Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany were the gold medal winners in the Pairs event, while China's Dan Zhang and Hao Zhang and Qing Pang and Jian Tong won silver and bronze, respectively.

Savchenko and Szolkowy delivered a strong routine to L'Oiseau by Rene Dupere which featured a solid throw triple flip and throw triple Salchow, as well as three difficult lifts. However, Szolkowy doubled his first jump in a side-by-side triple toeloop-double toeloop sequence. He also put his hand down on the side-by-side triple Salchows while Savchenko doubled hers.

Nevertheless, the 2007 European champions produced two good level four spins and a nice level four spiral sequence to earn 127.09 (62.17/65.92) points. With a total score of 199.23 points, the German champions, who were second at this event last year, maintained first overall to win the gold.

"It's a great feeling," said Szolkowy, "and right now, I don't think about the mistakes. I felt some pressure because we skated last and I knew that our competitors had made mistakes and that the door was wide open."

Zhang and Zhang had a difficult start when Hao Zhang singled the first jump and both skaters put their hands hand down on the second jump of a double Axel-triple toeloop combination. The team also prematurely aborted their their final lift, but otherwise produced a very good lateral triple twist, two level four lifts, a throw triple Salchow, and a throw triple loop.

The 2006 Olympic silver medalists placed second in the long with 119.80 (59.32/60.48) points, and with a total score of 191.20 points, finished second overall to win the silver.

"We are disappointed," admitted Hao Zhang. "We rarely have performances like this."

Teammates Pang and Tong finished third in the long with 118.45 (58.85/59.60) points, and overall with a total score of 185.13 points.

The Chinese champions opened with side-by-side triple toeloops, however Tong put a hand down on the landing. Pang later uncharacteristically doubled a throw triple loop. The team also experienced problems on their backward-outside death spiral (-1.26 GOE), but managed to deliver a beautiful throw triple Salchow and three difficult lifts.

"Yesterday night we went to sleep very late," said Tong. "This evening we are very tired and with the long program, it has been hard. We'll do better the next time."

Canada's Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison placed fourth in the long with a new personal best of 115.37 (60.13/56.24) points. With a total score of 172.43 points, the team maintained fourth place overall.

Their routine featured good side-by-side triple Salchows and three difficult lifts, but Dube fell on a throw triple Lutz.

Yuko Kawaguchi and Alexander Smirnov of Russia finished fifth in the long (110.01 points) and overall with 161.75 points. The team once again attempted a throw quadruple Salchow, but Kawaguchi fell. She also had a shaky landing on a throw triple loop, but the Skate Canada bronze medalists earned a level four for both of their spins as well as their spiral sequence.

USA's Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker, who stood in fifth place after the short program, reluctantly withdrew from the competition. Brubaker is currently suffering from cellulitis of the left foot.

Ladies(Long Program)

Yu-Na Kim of South Korea won her second consecutive Grand Prix Final, while Japan's Mao Asada rose from sixth place after the short to win her second consecutive silver. Carolina Kostner of Italy maintained third overall to win the bronze.

Asada, who stood in sixth after the short, opened her routine with a triple Axel and a triple flip-triple toeloop combination. The World silver medalist was penalized for using the wrong take-off edge on a triple Lutz, but otherwise produced three more triple jumps, a double Axel-double loop-double loop combination, and three level four spins.

The Japanese champion earned 132.55 (73.35/59.20) points for a first place finish in the long, and with a total score of 191.59 points, rose to second place overall.

"Yesterday in the Short Program I made two big mistakes," said the 17-year-old. "That was shocking. I never had left out the triple Lutz in my Short Program before. Today I was able to do all my jumps. When I finished my clean performance I felt so emotional and pleased that the tears flowed."

Kim fell on a triple loop early in her Miss Saigon routine, but otherwise landed six solid triple jumps. The defending champion was also awarded a level four on all four spins and delivered a very god level three straightline footwork sequence.

The 2007 World bronze medalist earned 132.21 (72.25/60.96) points for a second place finish in the long, but with a total score of 196.83, placed first overall to win the event.

"I was the last skater and I was nervous," said the 17-year-old. "My score was close to my personal best, so I'm pleased with that. Last year (at the Final), I didn't do a perfect performance and I wasn't too happy with it, and I had an injury. But this year my body is healthy. I can do a clean program and I'll try my best for the next competition."

Kostner placed third in the long with a a new personal best of 119.07 (60.35/58.72) points, and with a total score of 178.93, edged out USA's Caroline Zhang for the bronze.

"I have many, many emotions when skating in front of my home crowd," said the 20-year-old. This is a special place for me. It is historical for me just to participate in the Final, and to win a medal means even more."

The current European champion singled a flip early in her routine and at the end, stepped out of the landing of a double Axel. She otherwise produced a total of six good triple jumps, two level four spins, and a very good level three straightline footwork sequence.

"The level of this competition is very high," said Kostner, "and there are the six best women skaters of the World in this event. I'm very satisfied because I have been able to do what I wanted. The huge applause meant that the audience had fun and I felt the energy during my performance."

Zhang, who stood in second after the short, was penalized for using the wrong take-off edge on both triple Lutzes - one of which she underrotated and fell on. Despite the errors, the 14-year-old otherwise produced four more triple jumps, two double Axels, and three level four spins including a unique layback spin which she has coined the "pearl".

The U.S. junior silver medalist scored a new personal best of new personal best of 114.66 (62.22/53/44) points for a fourth place finish, but with a total score of 176.48 points, slipped to fourth overall.

Yukari Nakano of Japan, who stood in fourth after the short, slipped to fifth overall (172.96 points) after placing fifth in the long with 113.18 (59.06/55.12) points.

The 22-year-old was penalized for using the wrong take-off edge on a triple flip in combination with a double toeloop. She also later fell on a triple toeloop, but otherwise landed five triple jumps including a triple Axel.

USA's Kimmie Meissner fell from fourth to sixth overall (154.22 points) after placing sixth in the long with 95.14 (43.66/54.48) points. The U.S. champion fell on both triple Lutzes as well as her opening triple flip, which was also penalized for use of the wrong take-off edge.